A remote controller is designed to control a device in a remote place. However, as types of devices are diversified and the number of devices increases, the number of remote controllers needed to control the devices is also increasing. The increase in the number of remote controllers may cause user inconvenience in managing and using the remote controllers. Specifically, when features of devices being controlled are different from each other, user interfaces of the remote controllers may also be different. Therefore, it is difficult to effectively control the remote controllers. Also, when the devices being controlled are manufactured by different manufacturers, the remote controllers may be incompatible. Therefore, despite the above user inconvenience, many users generally have the same number of remote controllers as the number of devices being controlled, and select a corresponding remote controller as necessary and control a device.
To solve the above-described problems and the user inconvenience, some electronic device manufacturers provide a universal remote controller capable of controlling all products of a corresponding company using one remote controller. However, even in this case, it may not be possible to control products of another company.
Even in the case of a remote controller with a macro function, since the macro pre-programs control operations and assigns the programmed control operations on a particular button, it may be inconvenient to program the macro when the configuration of a device is uncontrollable using standardized patterns.
Also, the remote controller using the macro function cannot provide a multiple service that can control various types of devices including a peripheral device, for example, a light device, according to a circumstance or a user taste.
Accordingly, there is a need for a universal remote control apparatus and method of controlling various types of devices based on service profiles.